Family Nights
by kittygirl320
Summary: One shots (screenshots if you want the best name for them) of how I'd imagine spook's couples if there was such a thing as a happy ending for them and they had families together. If there's any particular couple you want me to write about, let me know. (OC in this sense stands for other characters).
1. Family Night 1 - Tom and Alice

_**A one-shot about Tom and Alice, and their daughter: I couldn't think of a name for her. This is how I'd imagine a scene after the first book of the second series if Tom and Alice were together and their daughter was two and Tom and Alice, at this point, were both seventeen... **_

As the door opened, I lifted my head slightly to notice Alice standing in the doorway. She had a soft glint in her eyes, a smile lighting up her pretty face, though her big brown eyes glistened with tears and she wiped a couple away from her cheek with her hand hastily.  
>"How are you feeling, Tom?" she asked me.<br>"Just tired, nothing more," I told her honestly.  
>At that answer, Alice walked over to the side of the bed, pulled her dark pointy shoes off her feet and lay with me in the bed sheets.<p>

Alice rested her head on my chest, kissing it passionately. A tear rolled down her cheek to drop onto my chest, so I moved my arm to her waist and caressed it with my thumb soothingly, the teardrop tickling my chest as it cascaded onto the mattress.  
>"Why, Tom? Why? Now you're leaving on spook's business tomorrow, ain't you?" asked Alice knowingly.<br>"Yes, Alice, I'm leaving tomorrow but I feel a lot better than I did this morning, so don't worry. You know I couldn't have you anywhere near that arena, if that's what you meant, after that prince pulled you towards him and felt your belly with his hand outside of our tent," I told her, "Especially when he looked at our little girl afterwards, knowing he shouldn't have done so in front of her. How has she been, Alice, our daughter?" I asked her finally.  
>"Been such a good girl, Tom, coped well, she has, taking in the fact you've been ill. But she's missed her daddy, Tom, and I've missed my husband...You'll get better though, make a full recovery from this, you will," said Alice, very determined, "Thanks to those scales forming over the wound."<br>Here, Alice slid her hand gently onto the wound in my chest where the shaiksa assassin had impaled me.  
>I just pulled her closer, lifting her chin to look at me before moving that same hand onto the small swell of her belly.<br>"How has our baby been, Alice? Does she know?" I asked.  
>"The baby won't let me rest, Tom, not even when I set our daughter into bed for her afternoon nap today. It just won't stop kicking," Alice told me with a sigh.<br>Indeed, I could feel her belly bulging as something throbbed onto my hand.  
>"You haven't told our daughter yet, have you, Alice? She still doesn't know," I worked out.<br>Alice shook her head.  
>"Our daughter's only little, Tom, it's been hard to tell her. I'll tell her when I think the time's right. But please, Tom, don't say anything to her until then," Alice pleaded.<br>I smiled at her tenderly.  
>"I won't if you don't want me to, Alice," I replied.<br>Alice, then, returned my smile and before either of us knew it, we were leaning in for a kiss.

As my lips opened and closed over hers, after one blissful minute Alice pulled back.  
>"<em>Tom!<em>" she complained.  
>"What?"<br>"You know I can't resist when you kiss me in that way. Not when I'm pregnant and you're ill, please, Tom, don't make me want you so desperately."  
>Despite that, I continued to hold Alice.<br>"Sorry, Alice, I forgot. I forget everything when I'm with you," I smiled warmly.  
>Alice kissed my cheek and nestled into my neck as my thumb returned to caress her waist soothingly once more. Then my other hand moved onto her belly again and tenderly rubbed to ease Alice's pain and make her feel more comfortable.<br>"Thanks, Tom," she said quietly.  
>I kissed the top of her raven head and eventually, we fell asleep, content in each other's company.<p>

Suddenly, in the middle of the night, a very soft noise entered our room, the door closing quietly with the light pattering of little feet that followed, making their way across the floorboards to our bed.  
>Alice turned her head where as I had to lift mine again.<br>"What's wrong, sweetheart – can't sleep?" asked Alice softly.  
>Our daughter nodded and rubbed one of her round green eyes with her delicate small clenched hand.<br>"I had a bad dream, mammy," she spoke sleepily, clutching the bear that Alice and I had got her for her birthday when she first slept through the night in her new room.  
>She now held it tightly.<br>"All right, you can sleep with mammy and daddy – but just for tonight. Daddy needs his rest for tomorrow," Alice told her softly.  
>Our daughter nodded and climbed up onto the bed, crawling her way between me and Alice with the guidance of Alice's hands to help her across. Then our daughter crawled under the bed sheets and settled down.<p>

Alice leaned on her elbow, stroked our little girl's cheek with her index finger and tucked a strand of glossy dark hair ending in a ringlet behind her tiny ear, her index finger then trailing down to our daughter's rounded chin.  
>Our daughter clutched the bear to her chest, already falling asleep with her lips slightly parted.<br>Alice leaned forward until her lips touched her forehead.  
>"Goodnight, sweetheart, sweet dreams," Alice whispered gently.<p>

"Such a beauty, ain't she, Tom?" she asked after a few minutes.  
>"Yes, Alice, just like her mammy," I replied.<br>We spoke softly so we wouldn't wake our little girl.  
>It was true that our little girl was pretty, there was no mistake in that. She was definitely going to win some hearts – but not while she was still innocent and a child, though, Alice and I still wanted to watch over her childhood first. We wanted her to stay like this for as long as possible, I dreaded the day I would need to let my daughter go to another.<br>"Got your eyes, Tom, she has," Alice continued, snapping me out of my thoughts, "In all her looks: when she smiles, when she pouts...I see the spitting image of you. Done well, Tom, didn't we?"  
>I nodded.<br>Alice, then, arched her body to lean passed our daughter, still leaning on her elbow, and connected her lips with mine.  
>"Goodnight, Tom," she whispered sleepily, resting her head next to mine whilst sliding her other arm over our daughter protectively.<br>I had my arm on both my girls and we slept peacefully. Nothing in this world could make me want the night to pass.

The following morning, as I woke to the winter's pale morning light, I didn't want to get out of bed, I wanted to have a lazy day in with my family. But being a spook however, that was not an option for me.  
>So, with a heavy sigh, I slowly removed my arm from my daughter and my wife, moved out of bed carefully so as not to wake them, and got dressed.<p>

Once I'd pulled on my breeches, buttoned my shirt, slipped on my socks and boots, I moved round to the other side of the bed and smiled down at Alice: the light really did compliment her. I leaned down and kissed Alice's cheek.  
>After removing my lips, Alice shifted round and flicked open her beautiful eyes.<br>"You're leaving?" she asked in disappointment.  
>I nodded and so she smiled cheekily.<br>"Then you can give me a proper kiss, Tom."  
>I think she spoke with more authority than she meant but I leaned back towards her and kissed her properly all the same.<br>This reminded me of that morning in the tent before I set off to the challenge. What completed this scene was my daughter.  
>She too stirred awake and looked at me with equal disappointment to Alice.<br>"Do you have to go?" was her first sleepy sentence.  
>"Yes, sweetheart," I replied.<br>I opened my arms and, after Alice helped our daughter over by the hand, our daughter rushed into them, squeezing about my neck tightly. I scooped her up and squeezed back, Alice giggling softly. Our daughter giggled even louder as I tickled her gently.  
>"I'll see you when I get home," I spoke into her ear.<br>My daughter nodded before I lowered her safely back onto the mattress, Alice moving over slightly whilst our little girl was still giggling as she settled back down.  
>Alice propped herself up and I leaned back down, patted Alice's belly gently, kissing her bump with love.<br>Alice smiled pleasantly and caught my cheek with her lips before I'd completely got back up.  
>"Daddy, why did you kiss mammy's stomach?"<br>"Goodbye, love you," I told them, seeing my daughter nestle into her mother's side before I left the room.

Spook's business was nothing out of the ordinary and so it was only just the late afternoon when I was heading home. All I was dealing with was another ghost that had trouble moving on.

I hadn't even closed the bright green gate when I heard an excited shout.  
>"Daddy!" came the joyful cry.<br>I turned round to find my daughter bounding towards me, her long dark hair dancing in the breeze. Her green eyes looked a pleasant sight as she drew nearer.

Once she reached me, I scooped my daughter up into my arms and rested her on my side, kissing her ivory forehead. Alice soon came too and she hugged me with her arm around my neck, our noses touching, my arm snaking its way around Alice's waist.  
>"I missed you," was what we whispered to each other.<br>So, my arm around Alice and our daughter on my side, both my girls resting their heads on my shoulders, we walked inside. Our little girl asked all sorts of questions about the baby and Alice and I chuckled.  
>So Alice had finally told her and I felt like the luckiest and happiest man in that moment. A loving wife, an adorable daughter and an unborn baby to care for, that all belonged to me...life just could not be any better for a spook.<p> 


	2. Family Night 2 - Judd & Cosmina Part I

_**Here is a two-shot about Judd and Cosmina. This was inspired by a sequel from LuFabbro and, ever since I read the tenth book of the Wardstone Chronicles/Last Apprentice Series, I've wondered what their relationship would be like and here's how I imagined it if they were married…**_

Cosmina walked through the village. She never got any time away from the mill since she told Judd they were having a baby. She only managed to get time away from the mill when he was away on spook's business with the four wolfhounds and Bill Arkwright. She used to find it sweet of Judd at first when he ensured she was comfortable by plumping her pillows, constantly asking if she was all right, but now he was annoying her. Judd treated her like she was hardly able to do anything now.  
>Cosmina patted her belly gently as she felt the baby kick. She was starting to get used to it, but not quite.<p>

Suddenly, Cosmina saw her good friend from her childhood, Narcisse. She was a woman with long chestnut brown hair with the same eyes as Cosmina. She also wore a coronet in the County fashion like Cosmina.  
>Narcisse was running towards Cosmina, eyes wide with fright.<br>"Narcisse?" asked Cosmina in pleasant surprise.  
>"Cosmina, I'm glad I've found you! Is your Judd home yet?" asked Narcisse.<br>"If he was, I wouldn't be out of the mill…wait…how did you know he was my -"  
>"My aunt scryed it when we came to England."<br>"Your aunt Aurelia is here too?"  
>Narcisse nodded then asked, "Has Judd been keeping you locked away?"<br>"What? Oh, no, of course not. Ever since I told him we're having a baby together he has been extremely protective. Whenever I say that I am just going downstairs when I hear the same noise at night, he tells me to lay back down, that it's probably nothing. I better be going."  
>It wasn't that she wanted to get away from Narcisse, she just didn't feel comfortable with talking about what went on inside the mill, and that whenever Judd was home she never got a moment to herself – that would sound awful, like she didn't want to be his wife.<br>"My aunt needs to speak to you about something she wants your help with. Please, come back to the garden cottage with me," Narcisse pleaded.  
>Cosmina, after a few moments of thinking it over, nodded to her plea and allowed Narcisse to take her hand and, practically, drag her to Aurelia's.<p>

The garden cottage had a grey roof with two windows on it, lilac paint and white paned windows. Narcisse took Cosmina up the path, up the steps to the wooden door and opened it with the turn of the key that was fixed into the lock.  
>She took Cosmina through to the living room on the right after hanging up both their cloaks by the door. <p>

Narcisse invited Cosmina to sit down on the green sofa.  
>At the dark desk in front of the bookshelf to Cosmina's front left was a fair-haired young man of around sixteen writing on a piece of paper.<br>"Cosmina, you remember Abel, my cousin. He is in love with the local carpenter's, his master's, daughter: Ruby Griers," Narcisse grinned teasingly, like the girl she once was.  
>"Shut up, Narcisse! Keep out of my business," Abel snapped.<br>"Fine," Narcisse sighed heavily, "Where is aunt Aurelia? I've brought Cosmina to see her, like she asked."  
>"She went to see a friend, his wife left him. She should be back any minute though," Abel replied.<br>Narcisse shrugged and turned to Cosmina, asking if she and Judd had decided on any names for the baby.  
>"If it's a girl, to thank Bill for letting us stay in his mill, we decided on the name Amelia after his mother. But if it's a boy, I know Judd wants a son so I let him decide. He wants to call him Ivantie."<br>"Aww, I hope he has been treating you right. You are like a sister to me. But why would you get married and have a baby at eighteen?"  
>"The baby was unplanned and Judd wanted to make my eighteenth birthday memorable," Cosmina explained.<br>"Why did Judd want to call your baby Ivantie if it was a boy?" asked Narcisse.  
>"The name means glorious gift."<br>Narcisse nodded and, as Abel left, the two women waited for Aurelia to return home.

When she arrived, Aurelia smiled warmly and welcomed Cosmina with open arms. After she hugged her, she held her at arm's length.  
>"You have grown, child, it is lovely to see you again."<br>Aurelia's eyes fell to the two rings on Cosmina's left finger, then to the swell on her belly.  
>"How is Judd?" asked Aurelia, suddenly.<br>"Protective," Cosmina sighed.  
>"All men are at times such as when their wives carry their babies. Not to worry, no doubt Narcisse told you why she has brought you to me."<br>"Actually, she just told me you needed my help."  
>Aurelia guided Cosmina by her arms to sit down again and started to explain.<br>It hurt Cosmina to hear that Judd, _her_ Judd, was helping Bill pay off his debt to some stranger in Caster to locate and capture Aurelia, Abel and Narcisse.  
>"But, why?" asked Cosmina sadly as a tear rolled down her rosy cheek and her bottom lip trembled with the shock and disbelief of what she was hearing about her husband.<br>Narcisse wiped the tear away whilst Aurelia continued.  
>"…The stranger is Narcisse's father," she said quietly.<br>Narcisse gasped.  
>"I believe this is his way to get back at my deceased husband for casting him out when tensions rose because I looked a lot like my sister, Narcisse's mother, his wife that died in the house fire caused by witch hunters -"<br>Aurelia was interrupted when her son came running back in.  
>"Ma, they're here…Arkwright and that stranger," Abel gasped breathlessly.<br>Narcisse turned back round to face Cosmina in alarm.  
>"Judd's not with them…you better go while you still have the chance – before those two catch you!"<br>"What about…"  
>"We can take care of ourselves, child. The baby is your priority," Aurelia answered with a slight smile.<br>Cosmina nodded, climbed to her feet with help from Narcisse, and then Narcisse grabbed both their cloaks. The two left through the back door in a hurry.

Once the two were also through the back garden gate, Cosmina hugged her good friend.  
>"I will talk to Judd, I promise," Cosmina whispered.<br>"If that is what you want to do, I won't say a word against it. But, Cosmina, take care."  
>"If you survive, can you be the godmother of this baby?" asked Cosmina.<br>Narcisse nodded in agreement, smiling warmly, and the two parted with tears in their eyes. Cosmina walked as fast as she could back to the mill, worrying about her good friend.

_**More from Judd and Cosmina after John and Meg's Family Night; up next! **_


	3. Family Night 3 - John and Meg

_**Here is a third instalment about John's and Meg's family night. I decided to include another of John's brothers but, since I don't know any of the others names, I had to make it up. By the way, John's and Meg's son is named after John's deceased master, Henry Horrocks. **_

_**William has been living with John and Meg for about a fortnight and Meg has seen his true colours. But can she convince her lover that his older brother is not to be trusted around the baby? **_

I was lying in bed feeling warm and safe in John's arms.  
>Feeling the warmth of his breath in my long fair hair as he snored, the heat of his body against mine, his strength as he held me…it all made me feel happy and at home – despite the fact I was a long way from my homeland, Greece. My home was where ever John and our new-born baby were now.<br>However, although content I felt at the moment, there was something bad brewing under this roof. John's older brother, William, had come to live with us for a while since his wife had argued with him bitterly. At first, I was fine with this when John told me.  
>That is, until I overheard William telling John bad things about me, that the baby wasn't even his. At the wrong moment, my head growing hot with anger, like I always did, I stormed into the kitchen and yelled at William without thinking.<br>Fortunately for him, John grabbed my arms and pulled me into his embrace. He eventually calmed me down by draping his arms around me. He never said he believed his brother but he never said he believed me either.  
>That annoyed me and ever since that spat at William and a quarrel between me and John following – like it usually did – I stopped trusting William and wouldn't let him anywhere near my baby that I always kept in my sight, just to be safe.<p>

It was for that reason and thoughts I seemed to be getting restless nights when the baby was only born a week ago, so that really wasn't good. But, the only thing my sleep deprivation was any good for was this meant I was fully awake when the baby cried for another feeding in the night.  
>By contrast, I wasn't fully awake during the day and John was getting worried as I always looked faint – and I felt it too most of the time.<br>This trouble with William was stealing away my independence and strength – which I nearly always used and felt I needed – and so you can see why I needed John's brother out of the house.  
>I tried talking to John about this but since William was his brother, like he nearly always done, John wouldn't listen to me.<p>

Lightning flashed outside the bedroom window, lighting the room for a moment, widening my eyes when I desperately needed them to stay closed.  
>Finally deciding I would not get any sleep tonight (yet again), I decided to see to the baby who was usually awake and crying at this time of night for feeding. I turned my head and kissed John's nose before quietly slipping out of his arms and walking over to the cradle.<br>There, I clasped my hand over my mouth and gasped quietly.  
>The baby was gone! I felt like crying but shook my head, I'd been awake all night and never heard any doors nor windows open. So surely the baby was still in the house.<br>A sense of suspicion came over me and my eyes turned to the bedroom door: it was wide open!  
>How could I not have noticed this before? More importantly, how could I fail to hear someone come in? I was a terrible excuse for a mother but instantly pushed my self-doubt to the back of my mind for now. If I was any good a mother at all, I wouldn't panic so quickly and start searching for my child.<br>The baby wouldn't crawl out of the cradle when he couldn't even crawl yet, so there was only one explanation: a certain somebody already inside the house would've taken him, and I knew who.  
>Part of me wanted to wake John and show him I was right all along.<br>Then again, what good would that do?  
>The more mature part of me knew not to disturb his sleep, for I knew all too well how John's mood was if I woke him when he wasn't ready to get up, and had spook's business the next day. I still remembered his first reaction to when I told him that my sister Marcia, a feral lamia, had escaped from the attic and gone after a child she'd spied on whilst hunting for sheep.<br>No, I would need to deal with this one alone.

I tilted my head towards the bed just to make sure.  
>John was still fast asleep and deeply snoring, so I left the bedroom, not bothering to close the door as it would, if not slam, surely squeak in motion and perhaps interrupt John's sleep.<p>

There was one person who would've taken my baby and so I walked quickly but quietly to his room.

The door was open ajar but as I pushed it enough to poke my head through, the room was empty. My eyes examined the room to find that the bed to my right had been slept in, the bed sheets pulled back. William's night clothes were also curled in a pile by the bed.  
>Just as I thought: William <em>had <em>left his room. But where had he taken my poor baby?  
>I collapsed against the doorframe so the door swung open, feeling my head ache and my heart thump as I let out a vague sob. At first, I thought about waking John and asking him to help.<br>On second thoughts, if this had been a good time to do so, he'd have awoken by now, realised I and the baby weren't there, then would come and find me. Only then would I explain to him.

I knew if I was going to find my baby, I would first need to harden my resolve and take a deep breath to calm myself.  
>That done, I needed to think carefully and calmly.<br>Thanks to my strong lamia senses that had not yet abated and were still fresh and sharp – despite having been living with John for over two years now – I heard the sound of boots making their way down the cellar steps. I also heard the iron door open with a rattle and clang, but when and where did William get the key?  
>My heart leapt into my mouth.<br>Was William planning to…the thought was unbearable and made me feel weak in the knees.  
>Not planning on losing my only baby boy, I hurried down the stairs, not caring that the creaking would wake John. At least he would then see I was right and, hopefully, cast William away.<p>

After making my way down the cellar steps, I could see that William wasn't clever enough to close the iron door behind him.  
>So I pushed it open, too angry and anxious to care that William would see me.<br>When I saw him by candlelight from the lantern placed on the floor, I was horrified and a flare of fire came to light my heart and eyes as my cheeks burned in anguish. I caught William holding my baby over a pit, a boggart pit!  
>"William, no!" I cried angrily, running over to him and snatching my baby back.<br>He started crying.  
>"Ssh, mammy's got you, darling. I'm here," I told my precious baby boy as relief washed away the panic, making me feel sick.<br>I turned to face William and slapped his left cheek, hard enough to cock his face to the right with great force.  
>A red hand mark quickly formed and William faced my again, furious as his dark eyes glared at me.<br>"What do you think you're doing, William? Why? Why do that to your own nephew?" I demanded, infuriated.  
>We glared at each other for a long time before he spoke.<br>"You really don't know, do you? I believe I overestimated you, Margery Skelton. My brother does not deserve this kind of family: a lamia for his love-life and a half-lamia for a son…all that is still yet a distraction to something he was born to be. I'm just doing a family member a favour."  
>It angered me even more to hear him using my full name, who was he to do so – and say it mockingly for that matter?<br>"No, William, you're not. John loves his son, he loves me, do you really want to snatch all that your brother wants and has worked for – just to satisfy your emptiness of a family?" I demanded, knowing I was right.  
>"If you love John as you so clearly claim, then why don't you just let him go – the thing you lamias don't care doing?" William slyly attempted, changing the subject.<br>"How _dare_ you! I love John and it's not that simple anymore. It's not just about the two of us, me and John, we've got a son together now and _he_ comes first. Just stop this foolishness," I pleaded, still furious.  
>William shook his head and let out a rather ugly laugh.<br>"I will just have to be rid of you first then…"  
>Before I could react, William pushed me to the floor, into the corner. I held my son close, fearing for his life and not caring about myself.<br>"John! John! John! In the cellar…hurry!" I finally screamed, finally I was terrified at what could happen within the next few seconds.  
>William was about to pull out something when John came running down to the cellar.<br>William quickly stopped and changed his expression to a false face of concern.  
>John looked at me softly, helped me to my feet, slid his arm around my shoulders and stroked our baby's head before turning to face William.<br>"What happened down here?" he demanded.  
>"Meg was sleepwalking so -" William didn't get to finish his sentence when I gasped softly and nearly fell backwards.<br>John caught me and pulled me into his arms.  
>"Meg?"<br>"I'm fine," I lied sleepily.  
>"No you're not, you're tired. Take the baby upstairs to our room and get into bed, I'll be up in a minute," John told me.<br>I knew he'd be searching for an explanation when he came upstairs but I was too weary to argue and question him.  
>So I obeyed and took the baby back up the steps.<p>

As I was leaving, I heard William continue his tale – that was all it was – and shook my head in disbelief. I kissed my baby's head and smiled down at him as I walked towards the stairs. I promised to him that I wouldn't let anybody hurt him.  
>No sooner than I made this promise to protect him than I was soon walking up the stairs.<p>

Once in the bedroom, I laid the baby to rest in his cradle, stroked his cheek and smiled down at him warmly as he grabbed my finger with surprising strength, before getting into bed and watching the cradle, waiting for John. 

I didn't have to wait long as only a minute went by when John entered and bolted the door like I asked. He walked over to the bed and laid down beside me, sliding his arm around me, pulling me close, and speaking gently into my ear.  
>"I know that was all a lie, what my brother told me, Meg, what actually happened down there?" John asked me.<br>"When is William leaving, John?" I asked quietly, only thinking about my child's safety.  
>"Meg, we've talked about this far too many times now -"<br>I turned to face him sharply, not meaning to speak to him like this.  
>"Even after tonight you still defend him! After seeing what could've happened if you hadn't come down…Why is it so hard for you to see what your brother is trying to do? If he stays and makes one more threat…I'm taking my leave and going back to my homeland, and I'm taking <em>our<em> baby with me, understand?" I could feel my lips tremble at saying this but I now would try anything to get William to leave. I was only thinking about my most precious possession.  
>"Meg, there's no need to -"<br>"No, I think there is. That man is wrecking our lives, now I can't even sleep without thinking that one morning, I'll wake up and our son will…"  
>"Meg, please, listen to me!" John raised his voice a little.<br>"Why should I when all you can do is watch and do nothing whilst your family is being torn apart by your brother right under your nose…Why are you making this difficult to explain?" I argued, my head in my hands.  
>We started arguing again as we always do – even more so ever since I realised William's true colours. Whenever our talks involved William, John always defended him and I'd had enough of it – especially when <em>he<em> was in the wrong, not me.

"William tried feeding our baby to one of the boggarts down in the cellar!" I cried out finally.  
>John was speechless so I turned my back to him, sobbing quietly, uncontrollably, and I didn't even understand why.<br>He placed his hand on my shoulder.  
>"Meg, I…but how could he even get the key?" he asked as I flinched at his touch in mid-sentence.<br>"How am I supposed to know?" I asked coldly. "I'm a terrible mother, I should've heard our bedroom door open, I was certainly awake long enough. What if I never went down the stairs? I thought I'd be a good mother, John, but what if…"  
>John started caressing my shoulder.<br>"Ssh-sh-ssh, Meg, look at me," John turned my head with his fingers underneath my chin so I would meet his green eyes, "You are more than ready to be a mother. But why didn't you wake me in the first place when you first noticed Henry was missing?"  
>"I didn't want to wake you and besides, I wasn't in the right frame of mind. Please, John, you must believe me about your brother, you must. Our baby…"<br>"I will always be here when you need me. Just don't face something like this on your own and don't worry about my brother," said John, kissing my cheek repeatedly.  
>"You're sending him away?" I asked.<br>I couldn't help but allow the corners of my mouth turn up into a hopeful smile.  
>"I need to think about that first, Meg, but I will talk to him and if it comes to casting him out with no means to avoid it, then yes."<br>"Thank you, John…I do love you," here I placed my hand on his cheek and gently pressed my lips on his.  
>"I know you do, and I love you, better than my own soul. Can you explain what happened more carefully, starting at the beginning? Then I'll know what I'm saying to my brother tomorrow."<br>I nodded and explained everything. I left nothing out as John had the right to know all that had happened.

By the time I'd finished, tears threatened to fall and John kissed me again.  
>"You really should've woke me, Meg," said John, stroking my hair.<br>"I know, but you said yourself you have spook's business tomorrow and -"  
>"Ssh, I'm just saying. But I think now you should try and get some rest – all you've done over these past few days is fret," John advised.<br>"Can you blame me?" I asked.  
>John shook his head with that look in his eyes that made me fall in love with him in the first place.<p>

I tried as I laid in his arms again, his head next to mine.  
>But I just couldn't get any rest and I continued to watch the cradle even though the door was now locked. John and the baby were the only family I had left since John had pierced Marcia's heart with the blade of his staff. Despite this, I knew it was all for the best since Marcia <em>had <em>harmed the baby girl who was lucky to still be alive. I understood John's actions of impaling my sister but still missed her, she was family after all. That was why I now felt I could never leave John, it was like I needed this family to even smile.

The following day, sunrays flooded in through the window, forcing my eyes to peel open: I found that I had dozed off somehow.  
>I turned my head and placed my hand on the pillow where John should've been laying. Either he was downstairs talking with William or out on usual spook's business.<br>The baby started crying his usual hungry cry so I let out a sleepy sigh in response, got out of the bed and carried him from the cradle to the bed where I sat down and started feeding him.

It was when I heard voices downstairs, I decided John was 'talking' to William and chose to listen.  
>"So it's suddenly all right to harm my child and Meg, is it? It's all right to frighten Meg so much, she threatens to leave if you try anything else?" John demanded.<br>"I was trying to stop you from having something you'll regret," William protested – a bad defence in my opinion, "And I never actually hurt them."  
>"You can't justify your immoral actions, Will, it doesn't make it all right. If you've really any sense of loyalty in you, you'd understand and leave my family alone!"<br>"I'm loyal, John, but it's not good to be distracted by a witch who's nature is to slaughter mankind and practise deceit. She'd control you if she had her way," William argued.  
>"Meg can't help she was born a witch and what do you know about her anyway? I'm the one that's dealt with daemons and denizens, not you. If you cannot learn to accept my family – or at least respect my decision – then you can just…"<br>"I can just what?"  
>"…Leave…" John answered, though I could hear no spite, just how hard this was for him to say.<br>"Fine, I don't want to live with a fool for a little brother, a killer and her fledgling anyway. Goodbye, John." The hostility in William's voice was strongly evident and it made my blood boil.

The door slammed shut.

Once I heard John climbing the stairs, I acted like I heard nothing. I just held Henry in my arms after his feeding was finished and waited for John to enter.  
>Regret and guilt seemed to follow him as he came in, sat next to me on the bed and stroked my cheek.<br>"Meg, you don't need to worry about William anymore…he's no longer living here," John told me quietly.  
>Even though I already knew this, upon hearing John tell me seemed to summon back all that had been abating.<br>I hugged him with one arm.  
>"Thank you, John, I know this must be hard for you."<br>"You and the baby come first and if it means you stay here, it makes his leave less hard for me," John replied with a smile.  
>"I will never leave you, I couldn't if I tried, you're all I have left."<br>I leaned my head on John's shoulder who pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head.  
>"Good, now, can you please try and get some more sleep? I know you didn't get enough of it last night. Don't worry about Henry, Meg, I'll put him to bed. You just rest."<br>Usually, I didn't like being told what to do but John was right, I needed rest. So I gave the baby to him and whilst he was laying the baby to rest in the cradle, I got back into bed.

I smiled as I felt John's lips on my forehead and heard the door close.  
>I felt as though my whole world had fallen back into place. My baby was safe, there was no threat to this small family, and things were continuing as they should.<br>I couldn't have what I had any other way.  
>Finally, I fell into a peaceful sleep that I hadn't had in days – the baby usually fell asleep at this time too so I didn't need to worry about any disturbances.<br>I knew that when I next woke up, John would be home. The kind of love I felt for him was confusing, sometimes a bittersweet love, and it hurt but it seemed that the more it hurt, the more I loved it.  
>Despite this love being confusing, a love for John and our baby, I knew I would come to understand it someday.<p>

_**Well, there you have it, the third instalment. By the way, I may seem to be updating this story more often than Spook's Love but I have good reason as always: if anyone has any advice on writing about a fictional battle, I'd love to hear it.  
>Part two of Judd and Cosmina; up next. <strong>_


	4. Family Night 4 - Judd & Cosmina Part II

_**Here is part two of Judd and Cosmina. Enjoy! **_

Dusk quickly darkened as shadowed clouds swirled in.  
>The wind violently blew the raindrops to the windows, the whistles as clear as the rattling. But no sound could compete with the thump of Judd's own heart that he could hear.<br>It only made Judd more anxious. He didn't know where his Cosmina had gone and he hadn't a clue why she'd left. They never parted in the middle of a rare heated argument and Cosmina seemed fine, just reserved like she always seemed in the past few months.  
>There was no note left either and Judd paced up and down constantly. He hadn't sat down since he got in half an hour ago.<p>

Caster was a cold, hostile place for a woman in Cosmina's condition.  
>What if something terrible had happened to her? There was no way of knowing.<br>Perhaps Judd should've stayed in the mill in the first place so he could've kept an eye on his wife. Either that, or he could have gone with Bill and that mysterious apparent stranger, then maybe he'd have found his wife.

Suddenly, there came several desperate knocks on the door. Judd's green eyes lightened with hope.  
>Could it be?<br>He wasted no time in answering the door to find, to his delight, it _was_ her.  
>His dear wife had come home where she was safe.<br>Judd pulled Cosmina inside gently, closing the door behind her.  
>When he looked down at her, before he could take in her pitiful appearance, Cosmina wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and kissed him fiercely on the lips.<br>Judd responded for a minute or two before snapping back down to reality and holding Cosmina's shoulders, caressing them lightly as he noticed the red rings around her eyes.  
>It was evident to him she'd been crying.<br>"What's wrong, love?" he asked with concern as he looked at her properly.  
>Cosmina's strawberry red hair was soaked through and she was breathing heavily.<br>"Judd…you must stop them…" Cosmina pleaded, trying to get her breath back.  
>"Stop who, love?" asked Judd, fearing the answer.<br>"Bill and that stranger…I know you've been lying to me, Judd, but I also know you wouldn't upset me knowingly," Cosmina replied.  
>"Of course I wouldn't, but how did you know -"<br>"You're all making a huge mistake!" The words just tumbled from Cosmina's mouth and regret followed.  
>Judd's green eyes widened before he could answer and pulled Cosmina closer protectively.<br>"Ah, Cosmina's returned, I see," Bill noted, causing Cosmina to jump out of her skin and turn her head sharply. She patted her belly gently, startled.  
>Judd placed his hand on hers.<br>The mysterious stranger eyed Cosmina suspiciously as he caught sight of her tangled, soaked hair and ghostly paled skin, her chest shallowly rising and falling.  
>"I was just taking Cosmina upstairs," Judd answered quickly and with irritation, noting the suspicion in the man's eyes as he frowned at Judd's wife.<br>"Very well…" Bill sighed, "But be in the living room soon, there's business to discuss," he hinted.  
>Judd nodded, tucked Cosmina under his arm and took her up the stairs, not long before Bill and the stranger followed to go up to the living room.<p>

Once in their room where they could talk more privately, Judd sat Cosmina down on the bed before bolting the door shut.  
>Then, he walked across and sat next to his wife.<br>She shifted away from him slightly, annoyed that her own husband could lie like that to her.  
>"Love, don't be like that. I was dragged into this, I had no choice," Judd told her.<br>"Everything's a choice, Judd, everything we do – there's always a choice to make," Cosmina replied, feeling cheated.  
>"All right, fine, then the choice was I either helped Bill and that man, or you would suffer the consequences. I could never live with that, you're everything to me."<br>"If I'm everything to you, then, why lie like that, Judd?"  
>"I was protecting you because that man threatened your life should you find out what's going on. I saw the way he looked at you when you came home. How much do you know, Cosmina?"<br>"Enough to know I've been deceived all this time! I know you three plan on capturing Narcisse, my friend from Romania, and her aunt Aurelia and Abel, her cousin," Cosmina answered, "I was there when that man and Bill came."  
>Judd's eyes widened again.<br>"How did you get away?" he asked.  
>"Narcisse helped me, I promised her she'd be the godmother. I also know who that man is."<br>"Cosmina…"  
>"He's Narcisse's own father!"<br>"Cosmina, keep your voice down, if they find out you know that much, they'll burn you too," Judd warned.  
>"What? Judd, Narcisse and her family never told me that."<br>"It's true, Cosmina, that's what Narcisse's father plans to do. For revenge on someone…"  
>"Narcisse's uncle, Aurelia's husband and Abel's father…"<br>Here, Cosmina explained what she was told about Narcisse and her father, how Narcisse lost her mother in a house fire and how and why tensions rose when Narcisse's father turned to Aurelia for help, then turned against her when he was cast out, but Aurelia kept Narcisse.

Judd was speechless.  
>After telling the tale, tears streamed down Cosmina's cheeks.<br>Judd wiped them away with his thumb.  
>"I just feel so cheated and let down. How long have you known it was Narcisse they were after?" Cosmina asked quietly.<br>"Not long, I promise you, I had to work it out for myself," Judd replied truthfully.  
>He then pulled his wife into his embrace as she started to cry softly.<br>"How much does she mean to you, love?" asked Judd.  
>"She's l-like…a…a s…sister to m-e…" Cosmina sobbed into his chest.<br>"I'll fix this, love, you need to believe that. But until then, I need you to act like you don't know anything, I'm not losing you."  
>Judd started stroking Cosmina's hair, kissing the top of her head gently.<br>"Just…do what you can…" Cosmina mumbled against his chest.  
>Judd promised this before helping his wife into bed and kissing her tenderly before leaving the room. Now, to see what Bill wanted to discuss in the living room.<p>

Judd sat opposite Bill and the man, waiting for someone to start the discussion.  
>The man went first.<br>"The girl…does she know?" asked the man, though it seemed more of a demand.  
>Bill held up his hand.<br>"Gordon, I'll handle this."  
>Gordon fell silent, irritated at being told what to do.<br>"Does Cosmina know?" asked Bill.  
>Judd shook his head as truthfully as he could manage.<br>"As far as she knows, it's about a favour you owe."  
>Bill nodded in approval.<br>"See, Gordon? There was no need to worry."  
>"I'm not convinced. I noticed how wet her hair looked and that she'd been crying. I believe she's friends with my daughter but after tonight, my daughter will no longer be her concern," said Gordon darkly.<br>There was something in his eyes that looked haunted, tormented even. His eyes seemed to darken as he spoke.  
>"We captured Aurelia and Narcisse, whereas Abel…he put up a bit of a fight…" What Bill was suggesting was nothing good.<br>"I'll bring those two in then I want you two to take them up into that room you never use," Gordon ordered.  
>"Wait…you're dealing with them tonight?" asked Judd. "I thought that was taking place tomorrow in the afternoon."<br>"I need to be somewhere else tomorrow," Gordon answered before he left.  
>Bill then turned to Judd once the door closed.<br>"I know Cosmina knows what's going on, Judd, Gordon's just too fixated on his revenge to notice clearly. Let's just keep this to ourselves."  
>Judd smiled: at least he wasn't alone.<p>

Finally, Aurelia and Narcisse were both inside the mill: bound, gagged and dormant.  
>Whilst Bill and Judd carried them up the stairs, Gordon left without explanation.<br>Bill knew exactly where he was going.  
>Judd quietly told Bill he needed his help in saving Aurelia and Narcisse, for Cosmina.<br>"Look, our best chance at that is to be patient, bide our time and wait until the last minute," Bill advised.  
>Judd nodded in agreement, he trusted Bill and somehow knew he was right.<p>

Once the women were ungagged, unbound and laid on the beds pushed up against the walls, Bill and Judd left the room and waited back in the living room, where Gordon had left them.  
>When Gordon returned, he told Bill that there was an hour's delay and asked to speak to him alone.<br>Judd knew where he wasn't wanted and went up to see Cosmina.

Cosmina slowly opened her eyes, looking up at her husband sitting beside her, and persuaded Judd to tell her what had happened.  
>When he told her, she looked solemn and asked to see her friend, talk to her in private.<br>Judd agreed and made sure they weren't being watched.

Whilst he waited outside, Cosmina went into the room where Aurelia and Narcisse were being kept. Judd strained his ears but still could only hear a little of the conversation.  
>"Right, right…so, where is your Judd now?" asked the sarcastic voice that Judd guessed to be Aurelia's.<br>"Don't talk about him like that. He's done a lot for me and _is _going to save you. He just has to be careful: Narcisse's father threatened mine and my baby's life," Cosmina retorted.  
>That was all Judd managed to hear, the rest was muffled.<p>

When Cosmina exited the room, her hand found Judd's and he squeezed her hand affectionately.  
>She then squeezed it tightly, panting and trembling.<br>"Judd…the baby…" she whimpered in agony.  
>"It can't be…why now?" Judd panicked.<br>He got Cosmina back into their room and laid her down on the covers.

Cosmina started crying.  
>"Judd…it hurts…" she complained.<br>Judd kissed her forehead, promising he'd be back.  
>Cosmina gave a slight nod, her face tightening in pain.<br>Judd hated seeing her like this and so wasted no time in leaving the room to find Bill.

Once he'd run down into the living room, Judd told Bill what had happened, before he could lecture Judd for going in and interrupting a private conversation without knocking.  
>Bill got to his feet.<br>"Of all the days…it had to be today…go and get the midwife, Judd, you know where she lives," Bill told him.  
>"The burning will not be postponed because of something like this," Gordon argued.<br>"Well, we can't leave those two either," Bill protested as Judd left.

Judd ran as fast and as hard as he could, barely caring as the rain drummed against his skin like thousands of tiny needles. The wind swept as if trying to slow him down, but he drove on, the thought of Cosmina alone in that room on his mind.  
>When he reached the house, he knocked hard and loud on the door.<br>The midwife and her two sisters, all with hair between the colours brown and grey, answered. The midwife stayed calm as Judd explained that Cosmina had gone into labour.  
>They hurried back towards the mill once the midwife and her sisters had got their things.<p>

When they got into the mill, Judd was surprised to find that both Gordon _and _Bill were nowhere to be seen; neither of their cloaks were there.  
>Judd shrugged and took the midwife and her sisters up to his and Cosmina's room where his wife was still whimpering and sobbing.<br>The midwife placed her hands on Cosmina's knees to part her legs.  
>Cosmina shot up on instinct but then calmed down when she saw it was only the midwife.<br>Whilst her sisters rolled up the back of Cosmina's nightdress to dab a wet cloth along her back, the midwife instructing Cosmina to try and breathe steadily, Judd left for a minute to see if what he suspected was true.

When he went up to that room, his thoughts were confirmed: Bill and Gordon had left to burn Aurelia and Narcisse.  
>Judd hoped that Bill would save them, or Cosmina would never forgive him.<br>With the shake of his head, Judd ran back to Cosmina, she was his priority. He promised he'd be there when the time came and he was determined to keep that promise.

Once Judd got back to the room, Cosmina was now laying on her back, one of the midwife's sisters dabbing the wet cloth on her forehead.  
>Judd pulled up a chair, sat by Cosmina's side and clasped her hand, squeezing it in reassurance. Cosmina turned her head and smiled weakly.<br>"I expected you to be further than you are," the midwife muttered.  
>Judd turned his head sharply and the youngest of the three waving her hands at chest height in a gesture to say 'no'.<br>"It's not a problem, your wife's doing fine, we just _expected _the baby to be a little further," she explained to him.  
>Then, the sentence came Cosmina dreaded.<br>"Cosmina, you'll need to push when I tell you," the midwife instructed.  
>Cosmina turned to her husband, tears of fear in her eyes.<br>"Judd, I'm frightened."  
>"You'll be fine," he smiled, kissing her hand and stroking it with his thumb.<br>"You need to push now," the midwife ordered.  
>Cosmina started screaming. She squeezed her husband's hand with every pain she felt.<br>Judd turned his attention to the window for a moment or two: it was now really dark.  
>He hoped Bill would keep to his word.<br>Then, his attention turned back to Cosmina as her screams lengthened. What had he done to her?

After about two hours or so, Cosmina's screams started weakening and her eyes were closing.  
>"Cosmina…Cosmina…" Judd was panicking. This couldn't be happening, surely…<br>"Cosmina, don't give up, you're almost there. Just a few more," another of the midwife's sisters told her.  
>"Maybe we need to…"<br>"No, Catherine, we don't. That's a last resort," the midwife cut in.  
>"Charlotte, I was just suggesting…wasn't I, Lidia?" Catherine turned to her twin.<br>The woman nodded but then took the midwife's side, so Catherine fell silent.  
>Judd started stroking Cosmina's face.<br>"Cosmina, I've got you, trust me, you'll be fine. Just don't give up…I love you," the urgency in Judd's voice was evident.  
>Then, one more push elicited the loudest scream Judd had heard all night.<br>It seemed to last for ever.  
>Eventually, helpless cries overcame Cosmina's scream.<br>A huge sigh of relief escaped Cosmina's lips.  
>"Rest now," said the midwife, patting Cosmina's knee lightly.<br>As the midwife's sisters were cleaning the baby before the midwife would wrap it up, Judd overheard what it was and whispered it to Cosmina.  
>"It's a girl," he whispered into her ear.<br>Even though Judd wanted a son, now, he didn't seem to mind. As long as he had his wife and his child, he didn't care.

The baby wrapped up in a soft creamy white blanket, the midwife handed the baby to Judd who kissed his baby girl's tiny head before handing her over to Cosmina.  
>Cosmina instantly fell in love with her daughter, a love that could never be explained.<br>She kissed her gurgling baby girl's soft warm head before the baby nestled into the warmth of her mother's chest.  
>"What are you going to call her?" the midwife asked politely, though she and her sisters were already hovering near the door. No one wanted to be near a spook.<br>Just as Cosmina and Judd smiled at each other before she was about to reply, a voice the couple knew so well came into the room.  
>"Bill told me what happened," said Narcisse breathlessly.<br>"Narcisse?" Cosmina was really pleased and relieved to see her friend. But where was Aurelia and Abel?  
>Narcisse nodded.<br>"Where's Aurelia?" asked Cosmina, turning her head towards Judd.  
>"She…couldn't be saved. But, Aurelia made sure my father had the same fate and he turned to ashes as Bill was untying me. In a way, it was a kindness because I knew he was haunted by the torment of the past," Narcisse explained.<br>"What of your cousin?"  
>Narcisse shook her head.<br>"He fought my father, but didn't survive. That's how we got captured." Narcisse bowed her head.  
>"I'm so sorry."<br>Narcisse shook her head.  
>"Never mind me, what are you going to call the baby?" asked Narcisse, walking over to the other side of Cosmina and stroking the baby's head.<br>Cosmina changed her mind.  
>"Aurelia…I'm going to call her Aurelia."<br>Narcisse smiled, "You really don't have to…"  
>"I want to, it's the least Judd and I can do. If it wasn't for you and your family, I'd never have escaped."<br>"Thank you."  
>"I stand by what I said too, I want you to be the godmother."<br>Narcisse looked at Judd who nodded, so Narcisse accepted.

Both Bill and Narcisse got to hold the baby Aurelia. She had beautiful big sparkling round eyes, she was bright and alert too.  
>She was beautiful and a tear even rolled down Bill's cheek.<br>"I saw that," Judd grinned.  
>"No, no…you see, I…it was…all right so I'm not made of stone!"<br>Judd turned back to his wife and slid his hand underneath her head to kiss her on the lips.  
>"I love you, Judd, I'm sorry I couldn't give you a son, and what I said to you," Cosmina said softly.<br>"You gave me something better," Judd replied.  
>They kissed again.<p>

It was a wonderful feeling for Judd, to have a loving supportive wife and a lovely baby girl. He couldn't have asked for a better family. Bill even offered Narcisse to stay with them for a while.  
>Nothing could make Judd and Cosmina happier.<p>

_**Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
>Next up; Adriana and Simon's Family Night!<strong>_


	5. Family Night 5 - Adriana and Simon

_**Here is Adriana's and Simon's Family Night. Once again, I couldn't think of a name for the baby so I didn't include it. Feel free to let me know what you think and enjoy! **_

It was a calm, blissful night for the young couple – as it always was since their wedding. Not only had a magical white, holy ceremony taken place just over a year ago, but Simon's and Adriana's son had just turned one.  
>Adriana's mother was confident that her daughter's choice of husband, Simon, would not only provide enough for Adriana and his son, but also supply a lifetime of happiness for his wife.<br>However, by contrast, despite Adriana's mother welcoming Simon with open arms into her daughter's life, her husband disliked Simon, for Adriana's – his little girl's – husband was still just a cooper and might not provide enough. Compared to the man that first proposed to Adriana because she reminded him of his deceased wife, Simon was not good enough according to Adriana's father.  
>How was her father now going to make sure everything was all right when he let her go to another?<p>

After the wedding, the young newly-weds wasted no time in settling in and now, they had a beautiful baby boy to care for and cherish as well as their love: he was the son that Simon always wanted.

Now, Adriana was tucking her baby boy into his cradle after she'd cradled him in her arms and sung him a lullaby she used to adore as a child; Simon stood by her side. The cheeky bright-eyed little infant grabbed his mother's index finger.  
>Adriana leaned down and kissed her son's soft small head gently.<br>"Goodnight love," she whispered softly to him.  
>Gently and carefully, Adriana unlocked the infant's tiny fingers from around her index finger and smiled up at her husband, then kissed his cheek.<p>

It was then that Simon wasted no time in taking both his wife's delicate hands in his and led her over to the mirror. There he turned her round to face it, stood behind her and took out the gift.  
>Simon crowned Adriana's neck with a beautiful heart-shaped locket after she gathered her long hair onto her shoulder so it was easier to move out of the way.<br>"There, a beautiful necklace for my beautiful wife," said Simon as Adriana turned back round to face him.  
>He caressed her rosy cheek with his hand.<br>"What's the occasion?" she asked him.  
>"Just a thank you, I suppose: for making me the luckiest man in this world," he told her.<br>Adriana slid her hands behind his neck and kissed him tenderly.  
>Simon pulled her closer, into an embrace.<p>

When they were done, Simon guided his wife by the hand over to the bed where they laid down and talked about their wedding, how their most precious and desired possession came to be. They also reminisced about the day they met and when they met John Gregory, Tom Ward, Alice Deane and Bill Arkwright's wolfhounds. It showed how strong their love for each other really was, even in the darkest of times.

Simon was stroking Adriana's dark hair whilst holding her in his arms, both content. Adriana was running her hand lovingly up and down her husband's chest as they spoke softly into the night. There was nothing that could break these lovers apart.

The morning light leaked into Adriana's eyelids, forcing her awake.  
>Adriana gently slipped out of her husband's arms, covered her hand with her mouth as she quietly yawned, then got out of the bed and took her baby from his cradle.<br>She strode out onto the small balcony, her boy held with one arm, before neatly placing her free delicate hand onto it. She gazed over the treetops, over the rolling hills, watching the milk white doves glide across the pale morning sky, into the fluffy clouds white like snow. She watched them fly freely and together – like a family, the family she had.  
>The beautiful young woman, as she looked down at her smiling, gurgling son, could not believe her luck. Not only had she married a caring, handsome young man, but also was living a dream she'd had since she was a little girl; an adorable little boy and a loving husband – it was more than she could ever hope for. <p>

The pale skirt of Adriana's nightdress danced in the warm gentle spring breeze as she inhaled a small intake of the island air. Never had it tasted so fine in all her life.  
>Suddenly, someone approached her from behind, wrapped his warm, promising, caring arms about her shoulders, used his free hand to pat the baby boy's head gently, and kissed the top of Adriana's glossy raven head.<br>"Good morning Adriana, my love," said Simon sweetly, resting his chin on the top of Adriana's head.  
>"Good morning," she replied blissfully with equal sweetness, if not more, turning her head and smiling up at her husband warmly.<br>Simon's blonde hair was waving slightly in the soft quiet breeze and it seemed to captivate Adriana even more.

Simon kissed the silk ivory skin between Adriana's neck and shoulder. In response, she tilted her head upwards slightly to give him more space as he draped her hair around his fingers so he could continue.  
>When he was finished, Adriana turned her gaze back to the misty, yet, breath-taking view.<br>"It's so peaceful here," she complimented, smiling radiantly.  
>"It always will be with you and our child in my life," Simon answered, hypnotized by his Adriana's beauty.<br>"Oh, Simon!" Adriana sighed happily, tilted her head up and met Simon's lips with her own.  
>His arm around his wife, Simon took his little family inside.<p>

"I love you, darling," Adriana declared as she took the infant downstairs with them.  
>"I love you too, my sweet," Simon responded.<br>Adriana gave her son to her husband so she could fix the breakfast. Simon took his son over to the window.  
>There was a lot of admiration and understanding in that child's bright round eyes as Simon made promises, one being to protect his son with his life.<br>Adriana smiled to herself. She told her Simon he'd be a good father; that he shouldn't doubt himself the way he did.

Finally, "Breakfast is ready," said Adriana.  
>Simon nodded and sat down at the small square table, opposite his wife after sitting his son in the new wooden highchair bought not long ago.<br>The family ate happily before Simon had to set off for work. A cooper's job had to get done somehow.  
>Before he left, however, he kissed his wife goodbye when they were both standing. Their eyes were closed, one of Simon's arms around Adriana's waist to hold her close, their bodies were locked, and Adriana's fingertips were placed lightly on Simon's chin as their lips fastened together.<br>The very sun seemed to illuminate their kiss, like the Earth itself appreciated their love.

_**The last scene is my recreation of an Arthur/Gwen scene from the TV series 'Merlin' that I just adore, if you must know. Up next is one I find that's becoming a popular choice; John Ward's and Mam's Family Night with their sons Jack and James.**_


	6. Family Night 6 - A Romantic Fantasy

_**I had a brainstorm last night about another Tom and Alice themed family night – yes, I know I promised one about Tom's family but I've struggled so just think of this as more of a special addition.  
>It's a short story so there's a lot of time skipping: 'It is nearing Alice's sixteenth birthday and her powers threaten to veer out of control. She needs to go to Pendle and learn how to control them but she could be gone for a long time. Tom is upset and doesn't want his lover to leave. However, the Deane witch clan have looked into Alice's betrayal and have seen her future through her cousin Gianna's eyes. Will Alice really be gone for a long time, or will something pop up and get in the way?' <strong>_

"So, that's it then, Tom, all I have to tell you. That's why I'm going to Pendle," Alice told him, finding herself unable to meet his green eyes with her big brown ones.  
>"But, Alice, I…why now? Why now when you're leaving in a week, when you could be gone for a long time?" Tom asked her, full of sadness. He loved Alice and the very thought of being parted for so long put sorrow on his heart.<br>"Anything's good if it's to keep you safe. My sixteenth birthday's just a month away, Tom, don't want to hurt you, do I? Need to learn how to keep my powers under control," she replied, also finding the news hard.  
>"Now you see why I didn't want your cousin living under this roof, ever since she came we haven't been as close."<br>Rather than answering to that, Alice locked her arms around her lover, closing her eyes as she indulged the warmth and security of his arms.  
>"Going to miss you, Tom, I am but we both know it's for the best. Soon as I can, I will come back to you," she promised.<br>Tom nodded reluctantly as they loosened their arms from around each other.  
>"I'm just going to miss you so much."<br>"I'll miss you too, Tom, more than I can tell."  
>They both looked dejected and said nothing. Tom just continued to hold Alice on his lap, he wanted to hold her to him for as long as he could, up until the very last second. He nuzzled her long black hair as she laid her weight on his chest. Secretly, Alice wanted to stay with him and he wanted her to stay, but he only ever wanted what was best for her and she knew what was best for her so if this concealing of her power was what was good for her, then Tom was going to let her leave with a smile.<br>However, without knowing it, he was doing whatever he could to make her stay.

Tom would pull Alice closer at night, spend more time with her after spook's business and whisper to her how much he loved her. She'd kiss him in gratitude but could see what he was doing – even if he couldn't – and wouldn't submit.

Finally, the day came when it was time for her to leave. Her cousin, Gianna Malkin, seemed relatively happy and hugged her briefly at the door and gave a nod of farewell before forcefully (though it looked purposefully) skipping back up to her room. Tom on the other hand left the house with Alice and walked with her up to the gate.  
>He then turned her round to face him and, still holding her shoulders, whispered into her ear, "Come home safely, Alice, be careful."<br>She nodded before wrapping her arms around his neck, her hand in his brown hair, and kissed him fiercely on the lips.  
>They stood there in bliss, like they had all the time in the world and more, when suddenly, Alice interrupted their kiss and whispered a final goodbye before leaving through the gate and disappearing into the trees.<br>Tom walked back to the house despairingly, remembering the last time they were separated.

Nevertheless, Alice returned home within two days and Tom was both surprised and elated to see her pretty face as she came up the path when he saw her through the kitchen window. But, when he opened the door to let her in, she hugged him before falling against him wearily.  
>He carried her under her arms and knees over to the settee by the kitchen fire. Alice looked exhausted, paler and thinner than usual.<br>"Are you all right, Alice?" asked Tom softly.  
>"Powerless now, Tom, I am, that's why I've come home early," Alice replied quietly, ashamed.<br>"Alice?"  
>"Soon as I set foot in Pendle, the Deane witch clan's assassin came and drained me of my power, told me I was too much of a threat now…I feel so useless!" Alice cried.<br>Tom instantly started caressing her cheek lightly with his thumb.  
>"Sssh, you're not useless, Alice, not to me. At least now we can still be together and now there's no threat of you turning to the dark," Tom rightfully pointed out.<br>Alice smiled, "I guess so. Something else, Tom."  
>"What is it?"<br>"Gianna contacted me with a mirror. You know when I was sick last week?"  
>"Yes…"<br>"There's a reason I was…it's…well…I'm pregnant, you're going to be a father."  
>Tom was shocked and didn't know how to react. He liked the idea of having a family with the person he loved most but didn't know if he was ready to be a father.<br>Alice wasn't sure if she was ready to be a mother but they would learn together, that was the beauty of it.  
>"Know you don't feel ready, Tom, know you all too well, I do, but we'll learn together, won't we?"<br>Rather than saying anything, Tom just hugged her, kissing her wherever he could.  
>"Knew you'd act like this," Alice grinned.<br>Tom moved his hand onto the tiny swell of her belly and she placed her hand on his.  
>Suddenly, Gianna came down with such a grin.<br>"You never listened to what else I was going to say, cousin, about your baby."  
>Tom and Alice turned their heads towards Gianna in curiosity.<br>"Go on," Alice urged.  
>"The baby's going to be a girl and what's known as a spook witch."<br>The young couple tilted their heads, confused.  
>Gianna sighed in frustration.<br>"A spook witch is a female being that can conjure a silver chain at her fingertips, send it spiralling through the air towards a denizen. She can adjust the amount of the silver than harms the denizens too as all denizens have a specific amount to which they can be harmed at. With the gesture of her hands and at her will, a spook witch can part the ground into a pit before using her hands to conjure several iron bars, however many she wants at will. With the swirl of her index finger, a spook witch can fill a boggart's bait dish with blood and snap her fingers to conjure the bait dish. A spook witch can also bestow an accuracy charm on a weapon used against a denizen, increasing its chances of meeting tis target," Gianna explained.  
>"Would the dark be able to turn her into <em>their <em>weapon?" asked a now worried Alice.  
>Gianna nodded sympathetically.<br>"If the child is born in the dark with no light outside, then yes. She must either be born under the rays of the sun or the beams of the moon to be a gift to the light."  
>Just as Gianna turned to descend the stairs, Tom stopped her.<br>"Gianna, maybe I was wrong about you. Thank you."  
>It was the nicest thing he'd said to her and Gianna nodded, smiling with gratitude before she continued.<p>

"Well, wasn't this nice for an early birthday present?" Tom joked.  
>Alice laughed with him before they snuggled.<br>"Tom," Alice began gently.  
>"Yes?"<br>"This was something Gianna didn't scry but I had to know, to see if it was for me what aunt Agnes scryed when I was younger. She'd scryed and I saw two cradles. When I scryed, the same occurred," Alice said excitedly.  
>"Twins…twin girls!" Tom exclaimed.<br>Alice nodded and Tom squeezed her with love. She squeezed him back.  
>"Two spook witches," Alice chuckled, "Who would've thought?"<br>"I love you, Alice," Tom spoke into her ear quietly.  
>"Love you too, Tom," Alice replied, looking him in the eyes before catching his lips in hers.<br>That one tender kiss spoke for them, all that they wanted to say. It was the start of a new beginning.

_**That's the end of the additional chapter.  
>I promise that Family Night 7 will be on Tom's family. <strong>_


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